For the benefit of my foreign readers, my title is based on the traditional and ancient British cry that goes up at the coronation of a new monarch. I am reminded of it by rumours of the political death of the Kaiserin and no doubt someone will wittily suggest that such rumours are grossly exaggerated! However, such is the essence of a report in Spiegel which, admittedly, was written last Tuesday (I missed it because, dammit, I am still learning my way around MS 8.1) and it suggests very strongly that Mrs. Merkel is under severe pressure from her socialist deputy with whom she is in coalition. He, needless to say, is an eye-ball swivelling euro-fanatic who is not only a supporter of 'Juncker the Drunker', the new EU President, but also an equally keen supporter of Hollande, Renzi and the other Med countries all of whom want German austerity diktats lifted, the money-printing machines switched on and more time to pay back the money they owe. According to Spiegel, the Kaiserin's power both inside Germany and inside Europe is on the wane. However, it should be noted that Spiegel is a Leftie paper and the wish may be father to the thought! Even so, the article is well worth reading because it is all too easy to view Europe entirely through British spectacles.
That said, the next three years are going to be fascinating. In fact, I would go further and say they will be looked back on as one of those historical pivot points. But first things first. The 'Scottish question' must be answered in September and I hope that it will be a firm decision in favour of continued union. Then, next May, the general election must be decided. In the last couple of days, Dave has struck a pose that will weaken UKIP's insidious attack on the Tory vote but it is essential that he continues that approach up until the election. Equally, I wish UKIP all the luck in the world as they try to broaden their appeal to the plebs 'oooooop north' which will erode Labour's vote. As an aside, I truly and fervently wish that the 'il-Lib-non-Dems' are slaughtered wholesale! The very best result, for me, at any rate, would be for Dave to be returned with a small majority. That will make him a captive of his Right-wing, anti-EU MPs and will keep him honest during the long and very tricky negotiations that will take place prior to the referendum in 2017.
Of course, the biggest 'unknown unknown' is what, exactly and precisely, Dave wants from this negotiation. I think we can all take it that he is, at heart, a pro-EU politician although I suspect that increasingly his hands-on experience with actually dealing with the ragbag of shysters who run this European racket may be opening his eyes to realities. If yesterday's pantomime in which he performed his mini-Maggie act to thunderous applause from his own party is reflected in a big jump in the polls then perhaps, just perhaps, he might have the nerve to play the game hard and if the Euros fail to give him what he wants, he might recommend 'OUT'.
Alright, alright, I know, but a man may hope may he not?
